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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Little Augie's turn

Twas eighty-six years ago this night that Little Augie Orgen went the way of all gangster flesh. You see, he and John Diamond, (that's Legs to you and me) were walking together on the lower East Side. Why were they meeting? Personally I think it was to discuss costumes for the upcoming 1927 city wide gangster Halloween party. Though it should be mentioned that Diamond
was a bootlegger, drug dealer and loft thief & the former a labor
racketeer. They became pals, most likely through Arnold Rothstein and let each other in on their crimes. Orgen gave Diamond a labor contract which caused strife within his own gang. His two lieutenants, Lepke Buchalter and Gurrah Shapiro, decided that they should be running the show and that Orgen had to go. So, as Messrs. Orgen and Diamond strolled together that night so long ago, a sedan containing a handful of gunmen came drifting through the street until Orgen
and Diamond were spotted. It slowed down behind them and a couple of gunmen stepped out and
made their ways up behind the duo. One placed his gun behind Orgen's head and pulled the trigger, the gang leader's
hat flew three feet into the air while its owner dropped to the sidewalk. Diamond turned at the sound of the explosion and was shot in the stomach lest he try to
intervene in any way. You see they didn't want him dead, just his pal. And they succeeded in both.

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About Me

Author of: On The Spot: Gangland Murders in Prohibition New York City 1930-1933, Hollywood on the Spot: Crimes Against the Early Movie Stars, Legs Diamond: Gangster. Gangster City: The History of the New York Underworld 1900-1935. Notorious New Yorkers: Two Gun Crowley. Notorious New Yorkers: The Bobbed Haired Bandit. Notorious New Yorkers: Vivian Gordon.